Family member incarceration and delinquent behaviour in the classroom: evidence from Brazil

This article extends the empirical literature on the economics of crime and delinquency. Using a unique data set from Brazil, we investigate how having a family member behind bars influences the behaviour of adolescents in the classroom. Results from a series of <italic>probit</italic> model estimations show that having close relatives incarcerated increases the adolescents' probability of fighting with a classmate by 2.69 p. p. and the probability of misbehaving in class by 4.8 p. p. This result is in line with social learning theories of crime, and it complements recent empirical evidence about the influence of peers on adolescent's time allocation and engagement in delinquent activities.